18/06/2026
๐ฆ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐, ๐๐๐บ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ
A disturbing video of students assaulting another student recently spread across social media in Bhutan. Within hours, thousands had watched it. Hundreds shared it. Countless others forwarded it through messaging groups. Some content creators rushed to discuss it in live sessions. Others reposted it repeatedly to increase engagement.
The incident itself is troubling. What is perhaps even more troubling is what happened afterward.
We live in an age where our phones are smarter than ever. They can connect us to the world instantly, provide access to endless information, and allow us to communicate across continents in seconds. Yet, when faced with a serious incident involving children, many of us demonstrated a remarkable lack of judgment.
Before asking whether the victim was safe, people asked where they could find the full video. Before thinking about the long-term impact on the children involved, people focused on views, shares, reactions, and comments.
Before considering the consequences of spreading violent content involving minors, people rushed to become unpaid distributors of the footage.
Some individuals spent hours discussing the incident in live sessions, not to educate or advocate for solutions, but because they knew controversy attracts attention. Every comment, every reaction, and every viewer became a metric to chase.
We often criticize young people for their behavior online. Yet many adults responded no differently. The students in the video may have acted irresponsibly, but countless adults willingly amplified the harm by turning the incident into entertainment.
Sharing such videos rarely helps the victim. It rarely contributes to accountability. It rarely creates meaningful solutions. What it does accomplish is extending the humiliation of those involved and ensuring that a painful moment remains permanently available for public consumption.
The reality is simple. Every forward button clicked, every repost made, and every sensational discussion hosted increased the reach of the violence. People who claim to be concerned about bullying often became participants in a different form of it.
There is a difference between raising awareness and exploiting tragedy. Raising awareness focuses on the issue, the causes, and the solutions. Exploitation focuses on the footage, the drama, and the attention it generates.
Unfortunately, much of the online reaction fell into the second category.
We need to ask ourselves some uncomfortable questions. Why do we feel compelled to share disturbing content before verifying facts? Why do we believe every tragedy needs our commentary?Why have views and engagement become more important than empathy and responsibility?
Most importantly, what kind of society are we building when a child's suffering becomes a source of entertainment?
Technology is not the problem. Social media is not the problem. Smartphones are not the problem.
The problem is how we choose to use them.
A smart phone in the hands of a careless person does not create a smarter society. It simply allows poor judgment to travel faster.
Perhaps the lesson from this incident is not only about bullying in schools. Perhaps it is also about the growing tendency among adults to consume and distribute harmful content without considering the consequences.
The next time a video like this appears on our screens, we have a choice. We can contribute to the noise, the speculation, and the viral spread. Or we can choose responsibility over attention, empathy over entertainment, and wisdom over clicks.
Our phones have become smarter every year. The question is whether we have.
Save the Children Bhutan
National Commission for Women and Children - NCWC, Bhutan
The Bhutanese
Royal Bhutan Police
Nazhoen Lamtoen
Sherig Bhutan
Feminism in Bhutan
The PEMA
Bhutan Media Foundation
YUMRA
